I'm a fifty-something year old wife, mom to 2 grown kids, and the sole income earner. Follow along as I keep plugging away at daily life.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

DIY and a Valentine's surprise

We have a teeny laundry room and this is our "pet food station" in the little area that was originally intended for a freezer.

That brown rug in the left corner of the picture is the rug in front of the back door. Behind the picture taker is the washer and dryer. Yep. Tiny room.

And not pictured is where I stash all the extra cases or two of water and 12 packs of soda. They are against the wall in the dining room! I just really have no where to store things that big out of sight.

Last weekend, while bending over to scoop out some dog food (the new bag arrived and that one bin is all filled up now, much to old pup's relief. LOL) I had an idea. How about if DH built a shelf underneath these bins and raised them up high enough so that I could store a case of water and some soda underneath?! A couple pieces of wood for the "legs" support and a piece of plywood on top. Easy. So I brought up the idea with DH. First he tried to say we don't have enough wood. I said there is a bunch of wood leftover from the bathroom remodels. Then he tried to say "I thought you were going to put a freezer here?" Umm.......ya...we talked about that like 25 years ago. That ship has pretty much sailed and with basically just the two of us now, I don't need another freezer. I said "whatever - I'll just try to buy something that will work".

Then he got to thinking about it, took a look at his wood stash and realized it would be easy to make. But, of course in true DH fashion it has to be wayyy fancier than I cared about. LOL.

Finished DIY project. Didn't cost one dime. Everything was scraps we had leftover from other projects. He even covered the plywood with leftover floor laminate so it matches the floor. (Note: when storing leftover pieces of laminate and trim....do not use blue painters tape to wrap around to hold the pieces together...trying to take the tape off totally took of the laminate on the trim! I'll have to touch up the exposed spots with something)

As I was cleaning up the construction mess DH said he had another project he wanted to make me and since he had all the equipment out and it was still nice outside he was going to make it, but it's a surprise and I have to stay in the house.

So, I stayed inside.......for hours....DD got home and she was outside helping him..for hours. By then I was dying to know what it was! Finally, at around 6pm, in the dark, I got the ok to come outside and see!

Isn't it adorable? And he made it all from scrap leftover wood we had. I love that. I especially like how it's already all weathered looking. The only piece he didn't have was some dowling for the bar across the well, so he still needs to finish that up. It will look so cute this summer with flowers in it.

6 comments:

OMG! I love it! Please come back with new pictures once the flowers are in it. DH and I are in the process of getting bids to concrete a good portion of our backyard and a portion of the front, but he has plans to create some planters to dress it up and this is so darn CUTE it's giving me even more ideas. Between your arbors, your knitting, and now this, I feel like a total blog stalker, stealing ideas for my house.

I never knew my house or yard could be an inspiration to anyone, but glad it gives you some. Stalk and stea away! LOL. I'm sure there are lots of cute things you could add to dress up the concrete area. A bird bath would be cute or a fountain. I want a fountain really bad, but no where to plug one in.

We are both liking the laundry room organization. Don't have to bend way over to get into the bins and the underneath holds even more than I thought. I can get 2 cases of water and 4 12 packs of soda under there.